Tampa police on Wednesday released the surveillance video from the robbery the day before at Mayors Jewelers in International Plaza. The video shows it took just 22 seconds for the thieves to make off with 11 Rolex watches worth nearly $300,000.
10 News has discovered this isn't the first time Mayors Jewelers has been hit in Florida. The smash-and-grab crime trend is putting workers and shoppers at malls around the state in danger.
The fast heist for high-priced watches has stores in Tampa, Orlando and Sarasota beefing up security.
"You feel violated. You do right now," says Mayors manager Terry Smith.
It's been an emotional day for him. His store is back open at the International Plaza, but the Rolex section is closed and cleaned out, after 3 smash-and-grab robbers gave shoppers and employees the ultimate scare.
"They were probably there 15 seconds at the most smashing and smashing and grabbing and grabbing," says Mayors sales associate Sammy Miller.
Miller has been on the job five years and tried to stop the bad guys from making off with the watches.
"I yelled at them. They turned and looked at me, and I put my hand into my jacket. The next thing we know, they're dropping hammers and running out the door," Miller says.
Workers believe the trio came in casing the store the day before. Police say they used the same door in and out of the mall that typically isn't very busy near the parking garage.
"It appeared to be very well-planned. They moved in quickly," says Tampa Police Deputy Chief Brian Dugan,
It's the same terrifying scene that played out in front of shoppers at Mayors in Sanford just before Christmas 4 years ago. The smash-and-grab robbers were also armed with a sledgehammer and were in and out in seconds with thousands of dollars worth of jewelry and watches.
"We have a policy obviously with our company not to chase people, which is the right thing to do," Miller says.
Mayors at International Plaza tells 10 News that it had private security guards on duty until Sunday, but did away with it after the holiday shopping season ended. The guards are now back in the Tampa store as well as in Sarasota and at Orlando's Florida Mall. The company is stepping up security knowing that watches can be replaced, but people can't. "It was the most important thing, that all the customers were okay and all of the employees are okay," Smith says.
10 News has learned that the thieves made a getaway in a pickup stolen from a Hillsborough County deputy earlier in the day. His wife had parked the truck at Sears at the Brandon Mall where it was reported stolen Tuesday afternoon. The stolen truck was ditched back at the International Plaza and found early Wednesday morning.
Police and Mayors Jewelers computer techs have been working to access and copy the surveillance video from inside the store. The store manager tells 10 News the video is clear of the suspects. They also left behind DNA, when at least one suspect got cut by the glass from the Rolex case. Investigators believe it's just a matter of time before they're caught.
10 News has learned the robbers get-away truck had been reported stolen from the Westfield Brandon Mall around 3:45 p.m., just 15 minutes before the smash-and-grab unfolded. The truck belongs to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office deputy. The deputy had been on-duty at the time, but his wife had driven the truck to the mall and parked it in the Sears parking lot, while she shopped. She noticed the truck had been stolen around 3:45 pm. It was found at the International Plaza early Wednesday morning after the robbers used it to escape.
"We just saw guys come running into the store, with sweatshirts over their head. The next thing we know, there was a loud banging going on into the case. Myself and another one of my colleagues came running up. I yelled at them. They turned and looked at me, and I put my hand into my jacket. The next thing we know, they're dropping hammers and running out the door. They got what they needed and out they went," says Mayors Jewelers employee Sammy Miller.
The watches do have model numbers, so investigators warn: Buyers beware if someone tries to make you a good deal on a Rolex.
Investigators say the robbers used a hall that's less traveled by shoppers and is accessible from the parking garage to get in and out quickly.
